Maximilian’s entry to the STABILO contest

HOW many people do you know who live to 100?

Did you know that we are living in the society of ageing population? At the present time, people who reach the age of 100 or more (called centenarians) are the fastest growing part of population, around 450,000 of them. One of them was Professor Hector Rudy Pescod, who was my dear friend.

I first met 104 years old Rudy when I was 6, when I visited Alexandra Care Home in Reading as a volunteer. Rudy was very alert, we read newspapers together, played dominoes, talked about everything. Rudy was a professor of physics at the University of Reading where now my mum is also a professor. One day he asked my mum who came to collect from the care home if she could remember the University in the 1950s. It was so funny when Mum blushed and said that she was not yet born at that time. Rudy told me a lot of stories about Reading (my home town), Reading University, physics. He was very proud to show his 100th birthday message from the Queen. Rudy told me about the tradition that the Monarch sends out a message on the occasion of the 100th birthday. It was started by King George in 1917. So, this year that Royal tradition is already 100 years. I could not believe that in front of me is a living memory of a whole century!

One day I came to Care Home, but Rudy was not there anymore … I was very sad. He was such a great friend and companion. He left me a motor model, it was almost as if he left me his world, his physics, his energy for more to share with other people. This is why I have decided to share this story with you.